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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Jordyn Beazley

Flutes, synths, a human voice – how should electric vehicles sound?

Composite pictures of  some possible sources for artificial electric vehicle engine noises, including musical instruments
Car manufacturers and designers have been thinking in different ways about the noises electric vehicles should make to warn pedestrians, especially those who are visually impaired. Composite: Getty Images, Lucasfilm/Allstar

Take a walk down any busy street and the noise can hit like a speaker accidentally left on full volume. The growls of engines accelerating when the traffic light turns green, motorbikes vying for position in the traffic, buses whizzing past and the odd rev-head all compete to be heard.

The sound generated by the internal combustion engine has shaped urban life for a century but that is gradually going to change: by 2050, 90% of cars in Australia will be electric.

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